There's a large fire near Harrietville. It's currently travelling just south of Buffalo, but anyone planning to climb there (or indeed to do anything else in the alps!) this weekend might want to keep a close eye on what's happening. There are warnings out for Porepunkah and Bright.

It is an uncontrolled fire in rugged country 4 km NE of Harrietville, that started four days ago from lightning strike and reignited with a weather change.

Today is mild weather (mid 30s temps, and light SE wind) compared to expected bad conditions for fire tomorrow, due to high temps, and stronger wind from NW.
The day after (Friday of Australia Day long weekend), is predicted to have a gusty wind change from the NW to the SW, along with potential storms in the afternoon.

The situation is dynamic and can change radically in a very short time, although the indications are that places like Hotham and Falls Ck are more likely to be in the path of any firefront development, rather than Mt Buffalo located west of this fire.

Fire crews are working hard today to strengthen 2007 firebreak lines established during the last major fire in the area, ahead of the predicted worsening fire weather.

The Great Alpine Road is closed along with all walking tracks east of Harrietville, and bushwalkers were helicoptered out from the Mt Feathertop area yesterday.

On 23/01/2013 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:>The situation is dynamic and can change radically in a very short time,>although the indications are that places like Hotham and Falls Ck are more>likely to be in the path of any firefront development, rather than Mt Buffalo>located west of this fire.>

Hmm. The latest from weather observations at Falls Ck, now has the wind coming from the east...

In my humble opinion that fire is over-rated by the media (unless one happens to live in Hotham or Dinner Plains), particularly as far as going to Mt Buffalo is concerned.
You will be OK for the coming weekend, as the current forecast is that it will be driven by weather conditions this week towards Mt Beauty / Tawonga / Dederang, all of which are NE of Buffalo...